How much does handmade cost, or how to calculate the cost of a finished product.
Hello everyone! I know a lot of my readers are in the business of making amazing handcrafted items for sale. Of course, you know how to evaluate your work. And I’m absolutely sure each of you has heard these terrible words: why is it so expensive? I understand that we must be patient and tolerant with customers. And so I don’t want to answer: if this is dear to you, then do it yourself. (Ha ha!) But let’s calculate together how much any handmade product actually costs.
How much materials and tools cost
For example, you are knitting a sweater. Do you remember how much money you paid for threads of such a beautiful color and for the set of knitting needles that are most comfortable for you? I remember, but not always! LOL Therefore, you can take the average cost at the moment. Do you agree? And also don’t forget to add the shipping cost. Or the cost of gasoline, if you yourself went to the posh Hobby Lobby store (this is not an advertisement, but a metaphor!). Likewise, you can calculate how much money you spent on thread and embroidery fabric. Or how much does clay and glaze for ceramics cost. Etc. Sewing, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, painting, tatting and much more … Well, you get the point, I hope.
How to pay for work time handmade correctly
I remember how 10 years ago, on a large internet site for selling handmade products, managers instructed us: you must value your work and “pay yourself” at least $ 40 for every hour. But this is absolutely the wrong approach. After all, you want your products to be sold, and not lying at home, creating a warehouse. Did I guess? Of course, you can pay yourself $ 600 an hour. But will such a price be competitive? In this case, I suggest taking into account the average wage in your country. Or the salary that you want to receive.
How to evaluate the creativity of a handmade product
This is the most difficult thing, it seems to me. How can I appreciate the “pangs of creativity”? Or how much is originality worth? How interesting is the technique I used to bring my idea to life? And here we must also take into account the latest fashion trends. Oh, fashion is such a windy lady! But I hasten to assure you that handmade are always in fashion. In evaluating this criterion, you will have to “follow the competition”. It’s a shame if you see that a similar brooch (ring, dress, painting …) has already been made by another master. And then you have two choices: either abandon your idea, or make your brooch even cooler! That is, think of how your product can stand out from the crowd. Ah, you and I have come to the concept of a brand, a master’s handwriting, a recognizable style. Right?
How recognizable and distinctive is your master’s handwriting? Unfortunately, I do not have an exact formula for calculating this component. But if you constantly improve your skills, and master new methods, you will definitely gain your admirers and regular customers! Consequently, your brand rating will increase as well!
This is not knitting, this is tatting!
Finally, I want to explain why tatting is so much more expensive than knitting. There is such a definition. The fewer people can do a certain job, the more valuable that job is. Therefore, for example, the work of Leonardo da Vinci is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, in contrast to the primitive oil stains of a beginning artist. And do you know how many people in the world know the tatting technique? Have you heard about The Radcliffe Red List of Endangered Crafts? You can read an article on this topic on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HCA_Red_List_of_Endangered_Crafts
Hooray, tatting has ceased to be considered an endangered type of needlework. But the danger has not passed, unfortunately. Take a look at this page.
I don’t want to offend knitters in any way, but sooooo many people knit, even tough bikers!
And on the contrary, very few people know about the art of tatting, alas. Following the theory I just wrote about, tatting should be valued far more than other currently viable crafts. I think this is fair. Thanks to all experienced and budding tatters for promoting and reviving this amazing art! I really hope that my modest contribution to this cause will not go unnoticed.
Subscribe to my blog, comment, ask questions. I’m always happy to help.
Welcome to my store: https://fairylace.kozinenko.com/
